N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) comes from the amino acid L-cysteine. Amino acids are building blocks of proteins. NAC has many uses and is an FDA approved drug.
N-acetyl cysteine is an antioxidant that might play a role in preventing cancer. As a drug, it's used by healthcare providers to treat acetaminophen (Tylenol) poisoning. It works by binding the poisonous forms of acetaminophen that are formed in the liver.
People commonly use N-acetyl cysteine for cough and other lung conditions. It is also used for flu, dry eye, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support many of these uses. There is also no good evidence to support using N-acetyl cysteine for COVID-19.
Although many dietary supplement products contain N-acetyl cysteine, the US FDA states that it's illegal for dietary supplements to contain N-acetyl cysteine since it's technically an approved drug. Prescription N-acetyl cysteine products are available under the guidance of a healthcare provider.
Most people have never heard of vitamin K2. This vitamin is rare in the Western diet and hasn’t received much mainstream attention.
However, this powerful nutrient plays an essential role in many aspects of your health. In fact, some think that vitamin K2 may be the missing link between diet and several chronic diseases.
Vitamin K was initially discovered as a nutrient involved in blood clotting. There are two forms: K1 (found in plant foods) and K2 (found in animal and fermented foods).